Giants' Cain pitches MLB's 22nd perfect game

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Matt Cain (18) pitches during the third inning against the Houston Astros at AT&T Park.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Matt Cain threw the second perfect game of the season Tuesday, striking out a career-high 14 batters as the San Francisco Giants blanked the Houston Astros 10-0.

Cain's gem was challenged twice. In the top of the sixth, catcher Chris Snyder hit a flyball to deep left center that was caught by Melky Cabrera making a mini leap to prevent Snyder from getting an extra-base hit.

But in the top of the seventh, Gregor Blanco saved the game when he ranged far to his right on a drive hit by center fielder Jordan Schaefer. Blanco made a diving catch and reached out to his maximum range to keep the perfect game intact.

In the ninth, Brian Bogusevic and Snyder both flied out to left, and Jason Castro grounded out to third.

The Giants made quick work of J.A. Happ. Melky Cabrera, Brandon Belt, and Gregor Blanco all hit two-run homers. The Giants have hit five home runs in two home games after going homerless in the prior 16 games.

Happ was shelled for eight runs on 11 hits in only 3 1/3 innings, raising his ERA from 4.54 to 5.33.

After the fifth inning, with the Giants comfortably in front by double-digits, the focus solely was on Cain and his pursuit of recording 27 straight outs.

It is the second time in baseball history there have been two perfect games in the same season -- Dallas Braden of Oakland and Roy Halladay of Philadelphia both did it in 2010. It also is the first perfect game in Giants franchise history.